25 September 2016

SIX SPRING GARDENS OF GLENLYON

You are in for a wonderful treat when you visit the Gardens of Glenlyon in Spring. Who would have believed it? Months and months of dry weather and a great deal of finger biting, then record rains. Everything has gone gangbusters in our gardens - a mass of colour, with the bulbs putting on their best display ever. And the green!

Asked about his favourite gardens, Michael McCoy, the well known Australian landscape designer, noted that his top picks were designed by non-professional gardeners. He points out that money is not the answer to a beautiful garden. "There is a generic language of the wealthy" he said, "a lack of individuality and a sameness in landscape design".

The Gardens of Glenlyon avoid all the cliches - they are highly individualistic, creative, colourful, sustainable and developed with passion. Here are the six gardens:

Adsum Farm

Settled in the village, this 3 acre property is one big veggie patch. Organically grown, the veggies thrive on the sweetest compost, made on site by Edward. Surrounded by old trees from the 1800's, the old farmhouse nestles into this bucolic landscape. At Adsum Farm:

Learn about growing great veggies.

Pop inside one of the huge tunnel houses.

Wander around the grounds and see the old homestead, the stables, the chook house and the Tardis tool shed.

Admire the old oak tree.

See what is blooming in the garden.

Then finish up with a light lunch served in the old stables.

Greenlion

Be prepared for a mass of colour as this two and a half acre garden. The dam is brimming full, creating a centrepiece of reflected landscape. Garden beds are cascading with plants that have soaked up the rain with glee. The veggie patch is soggy but with the moisture and a few more days of sunshine, the seedlings will grow fast.

Wander along meandering paths under trees bursting with blossom.

Look out for the ceanothus, which is a riot of blue, see the last burst of the tulips, anemones and hellebores. Find the early irises. Walk under the cascading wisteria.

Keep an eye open for rare plants tucked in amongst the greenery.

Meander through the native garden and note the delicate flowers of indigenous plants.

Circle the dam which is full to overflowing and observe the reflections of the blossoms in the water.

And finally, take a breather and look down across the Loddon valley and listen to the roar of the magnificent Loddon River in flood.

Jenny's Garden

This large garden is full of surprises. Tucked behind an 1860's old stone house and hidden from the road, the garden wanders down a gentle slope. Paths are banked with a mass of spring flowers which cascade onto the paths. The stately deciduous trees that form a framework for the garden are a picture right now with their delicate new leaves.

Enter through the delightful sculptured gate.

Wander through the hedged pathways that lead you to hidden spaces.

Look out for rare and unusual plants that are blooming right now.

Note the clever way that veggies are tucked into the garden beds.

Watch for the early heritage roses.

Throssell's Mill

As you drive from Daylesford towards Glenlyon, you will note on your left an imposing old red brick building surrounded by a large rambling garden. Built in 1859, this is Throssell's Mill. The current garden has evolved over 25 years, its eclectic rambling design the result of the owner's romantic attachment to plants and her desire to allow the garden to create its own idiosyncratic ambience.

Get lost along paths tangled with plants that are bursting with blossom.

Note the climbers that cling to the beautiful red brick walls of the Mill.

Look out for the rare plants that have been brought back to life.

Look for the sweet briars and roses from yesteryear.

Vizsla Lak

Surrounded by forest, Vizsla Lak is a great surprise. As you drive into the property, the forest opens up to reveal a beautiful lake and a lovely garden beyond. Bursting with colour, the garden surrounds the fire- ready house and spreads down to the lake.

Stroll round the lake

Pass through the red gate to find the veggie patch

Observe the grafted apple tree in the orchard

Learn how to graft your own tree

Admire the mature camellias and magnolias

Find the chook house
Are there any chooks?
(The fox ate the last lot)

Stroll over the purple bridge

Wallaby Creek

This is a very restful garden, with green lawns and spreading trees the dominant feature. But having said that, beautiful flowers abound. Sculptures dot the garden, including a delightful fence made from old bedheads. The Wallaby Creek flows at the back of the property and through the gate in the back fence, you can stroll down to the creek.

What is Gardens of Glenlyon?

‘Gardens of Glenlyon’ gives people the opportunity to see our beautiful part of the world and explore a range of gardens, from formal home gardens to rambling bush estates. Visitors will see how gardeners of this area have addressed the diversity of soil types, microclimates and site locations.
Gardens of Glenlyon: Summer was held in December 2012; Autumn in April 2014. Winter will be 29-30 August 2015 and the final GoG will be on 15 and 16 October 2016 when we celebrate Spring.